Espondilite anquilosante e anestesia

Abstract

Patients with chronic diseases of the spine represent specific challenges to the anesthesiologist. Handling of the airways and the access to the neuroaxis can be difficult. Most anesthesiologists prefer to use general anesthesia, avoiding the neuroaxis, in those patients, despite the presence of difficult airways. The degree of spine involvement will determine how difficult the tracheal intubation might be. Special care should be taken to avoid excessive manipulation of the neck, which could cause trauma to th…